The Banner Boy Scouts eBook

“All right, Jack; speak up. Any objection
to joining in with us and having a little fun while
we help a brother even up his score?” demanded
a voice.

Then Jack repeated as well as he was able the conversation
that had taken place at the breakfast table in his
house. He went even further than this, for it
happened that he knew something about the old man’s
past.

“Peleg Growdy is a crabbed old chap, I admit;
but perhaps you wouldn’t blame him so much if
you knew the trouble he has had.”

“What was that?” asked one boy.

“His wife and two children were burned to death
when his house caught fire many years ago. Another
child grew up to be a man, and committed some crime
that made him run away. His last one, a daughter,
was killed in a railroad wreck. Ever since then
the old man shuns people, and just works as if he
never wanted to know a living soul.”

“That’s tough, for a fact!” admitted
one boy, slowly.

“But it don’t excuse him for hating all
boys. What business did he have sitting there
and taking two-thirds of the road, to let William upset
in the ditch trying to pass him?” demanded Jud,
still rebelling.

“Oh! well, that’s a rule of the road that
isn’t always carried out. For instance,
the loaded vehicle is generally given more than
its half; and William admits he was going light, while
the old man carried a heavy load,” said Jack.

“Yes, that’s so,” grunted William,
unable to hold out against such logic.

“And perhaps, if he told the actual truth, William
would admit that there was room enough for him to
pass, if he had been a little more careful!”

“Sure; but I was in a hurry, you understand;
and didn’t see that the edge of the ditch was
crumbly. But he laughed, I tell you, and that
riled me!”

“And now you want to bring a dozen and more
of your friends down on his place to commit some prank
that will make him dislike boys more than ever.
It’s all wrong, I tell you, fellows, and for
one I refuse to lend a hand,” and Jack folded
his arms as though his mind were made up once and
for all.

Paul saw that they were very near a division that
might be fatal to the future good of the cause.
He wondered whether he could swing the crowd to the
other side, like the pendulum of a clock. It would
take considerable eloquence, as well as all his powers
of leadership to accomplish it; but the crisis was
upon them, and he would be false to himself if he
did not meet the issue squarely.

“Will you listen to me, fellows?” he said,
quietly, stepping forward to occupy the place just
vacated by Jack, and managing to whisper to the other
in passing: “back me up for all you’re
worth, and we may win the day!”

“Of course we will! You’re the scout
leader, Paul, and when you hatch up any game it’s
sure to be worth the powder. Let her go!”
came from Jud, who seemed to be a sort of ringleader
in this little rebellion in the camp.